SAT Prep Classes

[Green Tea]

What are the various opinions here on Prep classes for SATs? Which programs did you use? Were you pleased? I have seen them from free to $499 around here.

My oldest did not take a prep class. But I wonder if they are of benefit....

Any opinions?

 

[IUTBAM]

I think it depends on what type of academic record the student has....I don't think they would benefit a high-achieving student. My DD is currently a senior, straight-A student who took the SAT last May. The only prep she did consisted of working through a few practice tests. She scored a 1500.

 

[Art 1]

Mine took them and it helped some. It really depends how much effort the student puts into the classes and the homework that they give.

 

[Mary•Poppins]

My two sons took a test the gifted teacher in our district held (it was run through Penn State University). It was only 99.00 for 6, 3 hour sessions. My junior son takes the test tomorrow ... so we will see what happens. He has also taken 3 practice tests. He got 201 on his PSATs so we will see if his SAT score will correlate. (I think you are suppose to add a 0 to the end of the PSAT score and this represents what he would get on the SAT ... for the 3 tests.)

Say a few prayers for him tomorrow. He is such a hard worker.

 

[ctinct]

I think the right one can help a little bit, but I also think as far as especially the verbal portion goes, a student with self-discipline can get the official SAT blue book and study on his/her own. I think taking a few practice tests can prepare the student for the types of questions there will be. My daughter took an inexpensive prep test through a local community college, and basically all they did was use the blue book. She said it was more helpful for her for the math section, because they covered some concepts she was a little rusty on. Really, I think learning test taking strategies helps more than trying to learn new material though.

One thing you might consider, especially if like we are, you are in an area where not many students take the ACT, is to try the ACT also. Some students tend to do better on it...I know my dd did. If your child does take the ACT, we found a strategy between the first and second time she took it that greatly improved her science score. Do NOT read the science passages first-read the questions first, then skim the passage for the answer. If you really need to, you can read the passage afterwards, but I asked my daughter to try this method the day before she took the test, and she said it was remarkably effective. Her science score, which had been pretty darn decent the first time, took a pretty significant jump, and she is NOT a science person, by any means. HTH.

eta: I wouldn't spend a lot for a prep couse, though. Some of them are ridiculously expensive.

 

[libraryfreak]

I think it depends on what type of academic record the student has....I don't think they would benefit a high-achieving student. My DD is currently a senior, straight-A student who took the SAT last May. The only prep she did consisted of working through a few practice tests. She scored a 1500.

Was that for all 3 tests? If so, thats the average score, actually slightly below average.

 

[Agri]

The first time I took the SAT I bombed the math part. I took the class and then did much better my next time (this is over 10 years ago, so please don't ask about my scores, my brain doesn't remember =p).

I think the classes work if they focus more on testing strategies rather than the actual work involved. We didn't spend a lot of time doing math problems or analogies, but spent most of the time working on testing strategies. We'd go through how to know when to skip a question, process of elimination, etc. Its surprising how many people will read a passage *then* read the questions. (I hadn't done that since elementary school since I'm a fast tester - I want to finish so I can read my book. LOL)

The class I took was offered by my school - I needed more electives, so I took it.

I also took the ACT, but that was because my grades weren't all that great and the ACT demonstrates a broader knowledge base than the SAT.

 

[nhrenee]

I think the classes work if they focus more on testing strategies rather than the actual work involved. We didn't spend a lot of time doing math problems or analogies, but spent most of the time working on testing strategies. We'd go through how to know when to skip a question, process of elimination, etc.

This stategy worked well for my son. He improved his writing score by 120 points after taking a great SAT prep course.

 

[clh2]

I can only speak from an ACT perspective.

My DD (who is in the top 10% in her hs class) did well the first time she took her ACT. DD wanted to do better, so we hired a private tutor. Cost about $600. This was the best money we could have spent. Her score improved significantly the 2nd time she took the test.

At the 2 main schools she is interested in, this score will be fine. (Her first score was borderline.)

The test taking strategies were wonderful...and the tutor was well worth the money.

It does seem like a ton of money at the time, though.

Now - going into the 2nd semester, which is very busy for DD...we have checked this off the to-do list. YEAH!!!

 

[nhrenee]

I can only speak from an ACT perspective.

My DD (who is in the top 10% in her hs class) did well the first time she took her ACT. DD wanted to do better, so we hired a private tutor. Cost about $600. This was the best money we could have spent. Her score improved significantly the 2nd time she took the test.

At the 2 main schools she is interested in, this score will be fine. (Her first score was borderline.)

The test taking strategies were wonderful...and the tutor was well worth the money.

It does seem like a ton of money at the time, though.

Now - going into the 2nd semester, which is very busy for DD...we have checked this off the to-do list. YEAH!!!

I'm curious. How did you decide on the ACT instead of the SAT? In our area the SAT seems to be the norm.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I did a Kaplan computer program. I loved it, particularly because I took the test without having gone through high school. What was great about the program I used was that it reviewed not just the academic concepts, but good test taking behavior. I feel that without that, I would not have scored nearly as well. Now, if I had had the classes that the content is based off (trig for example), I'm not sure if it would have been as helpful.

 

[FlyingDumbo]

It cant hurt, it can only help. I'd be inclined to give it a whirl if only to make the student feel more comfortable taking the test. It might help to lessen nerves, the SATS were scary!

 

[Art 1]

I'm curious. How did you decide on the ACT instead of the SAT? In our area the SAT seems to be the norm.

Depends on what part of the country you live in and what school you want to apply to. Around here the ACT seems to be just as important as the SAT. Mine took both 3 times as did most of the others.

 

[golfgal]

I'm curious. How did you decide on the ACT instead of the SAT? In our area the SAT seems to be the norm.

Many colleges are transitioning to the ACT vs the SAT because the ACT is more comprehensive-tests more subject areas. ACT has always been the preferred test around here. Most schools accept both and take the best of the two as their "score".

 

[IUTBAM]

Was that for all 3 tests? If so, thats the average score, actually slightly below average.

Goodness no, lol. That was just for two tests...I wasn't including the writing score, because none of the colleges she applied to wanted that. She received a 2210 (out of 2400) as a total of all three. She also took the ACT (it was offered at her school for free) with NO prep and scored a 32.